One of the first places we visited on our recent trip to Malaysia was the Cameron Highlands, one of the country’s highest regions with spectacular rolling hillsides, tea plantations and forests.
During our visit we stayed at The Lakehouse Hotel, a true reflection of luxury nestled among the midst of the Highlands. The Tudor-style hotel looks as if it’s been plucked from the U.K. and transported to the middle of Malaysia; the beautiful 19-room resort offers stunning views of the hillsides and has gorgeous British-inspired décor, as the area was once an English colony (hence the rather English name, the “Cameron” Highlands).
From the moment we arrived at the hotel, we were impressed by the level of hospitality – from a refreshing welcome drink to fresh roses in our room and yummy cookies delivered to us each afternoon.
One of the best aspects of the Highlands is its cooler temperatures compared to the rest of the country; because the region is so high, the climate is more bearable with less humidity. There are also some fantastic thunderstorms (it’s the tropics, after all!) and it was lovely to spend evenings relaxing by the fire with a glass of wine in the hotel’s lounge area.
The hotel also organized an incredible tour of the region for us with Eco Cameron Highlands tours – it was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our trip. We were picked up early in the morning from The Lakehouse and spend the next hours touring he “Boh” tea plantation and doing a jungle hike. Our ecologist guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the area (he’d lived there his entire life), and explained so much about tea harvesting, local vegetation and local culture; it was also a real highlight to drive in a Land Rover across the bumpy roads and winding hills!
Breakfast at The Lakehouse (included in the cost of your stay) was a delicious kick-start to our day, and the menu had an array of western and Malay options – my favourite was the omelette with local asparagus. And not to be missed: the incredible strawberries, which are also native to the region (I think we must have eaten a hundred)!
The Lakehouse’s dinner menu was also filled with yummy options; one of our most memorable meal experiences was the “steamboat,” which is a traditional Malaysian meal where you boil your own meats, fish and vegetables in soup on your own table.
Going back to its English heritage, The Lakehouse also serves up a fab high tea (complete with real English scones and jam!) – it was a lovely reprieve from Asian cuisine, and the tea was from local plantations which we had visited ourselves!
If you’re planning a visit to Malaysia, the Cameron Highlands are a must-stop visit on your tour – and The Lakehouse is the perfect base to see it all.
Text: Lydia Parafianowicz